Gravity ballance



Sept. 22, 1942. L w. BLAU 2,296,330

GRAVITY BALANCE Original Filed Aug. 29; 1935 2 Sheets-Shet l EEEEE.

- Spt. 22, 1942. L, W.BLAU

" GRAVITY BALANCE Original Filed Aug, 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Pumas Sept. 22.1942

cnavm BALANCE Ludwig W. Klan; Houston; Tex assignor to Standard OilDelaware Original application August 88,850. Divided as t a, ma. SerialN 188,

luclai ns. (c1. ass-1.4)

ly. Alternatively; scale pan 49 can besuspended This invention relatesto improvements-1n a ravity balance. This application is a division ofmy copending application Serial rim-$8,350, filed August 29, 1935.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a gravity meterof simple rugged construction and of increased sensitivity.

Further objects and advantages of thepresent invention will appear'iromthe accompanying drawings in whic Figure 1 is a perspective view of animproved gravity balance free to operate in a vertical plane, havingmeans for magnifying the deflection of the gravity balance and analternative construction for altering the vertical position orthebalanced weights:

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another form of gravity balanceprovided with a torsional horiz ontal pendulum and utilizing a helicalspring at one end of the balance beam; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view 01' a gravity a .ance comprising atorsionalhorizontal pendulum and utilizing a.helical spring'at oneend ofthe balance beam and a weight adapted to be suspended at varyingdistances vertically from the other end of the balance beam.

. Referring to Figure 1, a modified form of vertical balance isillustrated. The device comprises a. bar 18 which may be secured rigidlyto the top H of the case or the instrument. The moving system of theinstrument comprises a balance beam 12. having arms protrudinghorizontally from an intermediate portion of the beam. The arms areformed by two abutting pieces "and fill having an opening in theirmid-sections to receive an intermediate portion. of the balance beam-Filaments 16, which in the embodiment illustrated. are wires, areconnected to the arms from opposite ends of the bar 19 to suspend thebeam 12 at right angles to the bar 18. The fllaments 18 are grippedbetween pieces 18 and It which are held togetherby means of pins H. Thebalance beam 12 carries a weight 88 aflixed directly to one of its endsand has at its other end a hook 8|. adapted for suspending a weight 82at various heights. -In the hated a scale pan directly near the end ofthe balance beam by means of hook 8|. A second scale pan 49 is suspendedbeneath the filament 88 attached erably. the scale 50 cm. below thescale Dan 48. In operation of the device readings are taken with theweight 82 embodiment illusscale Dan 48 by means oi a directly to hook8|. Prefpan. is disposed approximately Development Company, acorporation oi 29, 1935, Serial No.

gs. application February by a suitable hook attached directly to the bottom of scale pan l8. n

A reading of the deflection of be magnified as follows. A bracket 85depends downwardly from an intermediate portion of the pieces I3 and 14.The lower portion of the bracket 85 is provided with a laterallyextending portion, such as the adjusting screw 88, which is threadedthrough an opening in the lower end of.

the bracket 85. A filament, such asa wire or metallic ribbon 81, isstrung from the free end of the screw 88 to a support 88 carried by oneof the beam arms. In the embodiment illustrated,

the support 88 is clamped between thepieces- 18 and 1!. The filament 81is connected to the support 88 at a pointnear the upper end .of thebracket 85. A mirror 89 is supported by the filament 81 with the planeof its reflecting surface operative with the longitudinal axis 01' theills.

ment. In reading the deflections of the beam, a beam of light isreflected from the mirror 89, as has been previously described. Themirror 89 is deflected through an angle greater than the angle throughwhich thebeaml! is deflected. thus pro- ,viding a magnification of theangle of deflection of the beam 12. This magnification can be in--creased at will by adjusting the positioning screw 86. The smaller theangle between the filament 8! and a. line parallel to the bracket 85through the point 88, th greater the magnification. v The system 85 to.89 inclusive. constitutes a torsionalhorizontal pendulum which functionsfrom the balance beam and some of the advantages of the invention willbe retained; This nate high and low. positions yield complete data. 48is suspended by wires 5| supported by the scale pans l9 and 48successiveto increase the sensitivity of the balance. will be understoodthat the torsional horizontal pendulum can be caused to protrudeupwardly arrangement of parts will be described in connection withFigure 2. In such a case the screw 88 and weight 58 used for adjustingthe center oi gravity of the system vertically depend from the undersurface of the balance beam 12.

The two series of readings taken with the weightat one end, of thebalance beam in alterabout the gravitational fleld at the place ofobservation. However, one series of readings with the weight in oneposition only with respeet to the end ofthe balance beam can be thebalance can position, as illustrated in dotted lines, or in the lowerposition, as illustrated in full lines. Alternatively, the weight can besecured directly on I the balance beam.

suspend the beam 91 at right angles to the bar 95. A weight I05 issecured directly to one end of thebeam 91. The opposite end of the beam91 carries a hook I06 to which is secured a helical spring II". Thespring I91 depends from the hook I06 and is secured at its bottom endI98 to the bottom of the frame 96- of the instrument. The helical springI01 is used as a substitute for a lower weight in the operation of thedevice. The spring IIII permits the operator to obtain relative gravityvalues at diflerent stations.

A torsional horizontal pendulum is mounted on top of the balance beam91. The horizontal pendulum comprises a bracket III! which pro trudesupwardly from the beam 91 at the junction of the arms 98 and 99. Theupper end of the. bracket III! is provided with a laterally ex- 'tendingpprtion, such as the adjusting screw III, which is threaded through anopening in the upper end of the bracket IIII. A filament II2, such as awire or metallic ribbon, is strung from the free end of the screw III toa support I carried by the arm 99. The filament H2 is-connected to thesupport II! at a point near the lower end of the bracket III). A mirrorH5 is supported by the filament II2 with the plane of its reflectingsurface operative with the longitudinal axis of the filament. The centerof gravity of the systemisjadjusted vertically by adjusting the verticalposition of the weight 55 threaded upon the screw 56 depending from theunder surface of the intermediate portion of the balance beam.

Referring to Figure 3, a form of the invention is illustrated which isidentical with the structure shown in Figure 2, except that the fixedweight I 05- is replaced by'a weight which is adjustable vertically. Thevertically adjustable weight I2Il may be supported by means of a scalepan I2I which is suspended by filaments I22 directly near the end of thebalance beam 91 by means of a hook I24. A second scale pan I25 issuspended beneath the scale pan I2I by means of a filament I2'I attachedto a hook I28 carried by the scale pan I2I. A helical spring I01 dependsdownwardly from the opposite end of the beam 91, and is secured. at I08tothe frame 95 of the instrument. The remaining Various changes andalternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in theart as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. Ina gravity balance, a horizontally disposed bar, a beam having armsprotruding horizontally from an intermediate portion of the beam,filaments connected to the arms from opposite ends of the bar to suspendthe beam at right angles to the bar, a weight supported directly by, oneend of the beam, a second weight, means suspending the second weightfrom the opposite endof the beam, a bracket extending vertically from anintermediate portion of the beam and having a laterally extendingportion, a. filament extending from the portion to one of the arms, anda horizontal pendulum in the form of a mirror carried by the filament. I

2. In a gravity balance, a horizontally disposed bar, a beam having armsprotruding horizontally from an intermediate portion of the beam.filaments connected to the arms from opposite ends of the bar to suspendthe beam at right angles to the bar, a weight supported directly by-oneend of the beam, a second weight, means suspending the second weightfrom the opposite end of the beam; and a torsional horizontal pendulumincluding a bracket protruding vertically from an intermediate portionof the beam having a laterally extending portion, a filament extendingfrom the portion to one oithe arms, and a mirror carried by thefilament.

3. A gravity balance, comprising a support, a beam assembly, beamassembly with the beam in horizontal position at substantially rightangles to the support, means forfapplying forces to the beam tooscillate the beam assembly, and a torsional horizontal pendulumextending from an intermediate portion of the beam whereby oscillationof the assembly is amplified.

4. A gravitybalance, comprising a horizontally disposedbar, a beamassembly, filaments spaced longitudinally of the bar connected tolaterally spaced portions of an intermediate section of the beamassembly suspending the assembly from the bar, means for applying forcesto the beam to oscillate the beam assembly, and a torsional horizontalpendulum depending from an intermediate portion of the beam wherebyoscillation of structure of the device of Figure 3 is identical withthat illustrated in Figure Zrand like reference numerals have beenapplied to like parts.

In the operation of the device a "plurality 01' readings are taken withthe weight I20 in its upper and lower positions, as has been previouslydescribed in connection with the description of Figure 1. Balances suchas are shown in Figures-l, 2 and 3. which are suspended by a pluralityof filaments, will give the vertical component of the ravity gradientand can be used in conjunction with an ordinary torsion balance toobtain all of the'gravitational quantities. 1

the assembly is amplified. I

5. In a gravity balance a horizontally disposed bar, a beam having armsprojecting horizontally from an intermediate portion of the beam,filaments connecting to the arms from the opposite,

ends of the bar to suspend the beam at right angles to the bar, meansfor applying forces to the beam, a bracket protruding vertically from anintermediateportion of the beam and having a laterally extendingportion, a filament extend ing from the portion to one of the arms and ahorizontal pendulum in the form of a mirrorcarried by the filament.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5 in which the means for applying forces tothe beam comprise,

spaced filaments suspending the in which the horizontal pendulum extendsupwardly from the 'beam. v

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the means forapplying forces to the beam comprises a weight s pp rted directly by 5one end or the beam and a helical spring de pending from the other endoi said beam and secured to a fixed support.

means suspending the second weight from the opposite end of the beam.

LUDWIG w. BLAU.

